Album review: Vicissitude - Neolithic Necrocannibals (2022)

 

Vicissitude - Neolithic Necrocannibals

New Zealand

Gutter Prince Cabal 

 

The debut album by New Zealand’s Vicissitude flew under many people’s radar when it came out in 2022. That’s a resounding shame, because the album in question packs a serious punch and should be right up the alley for anyone with an affinity for the bestial and extreme, as this is some unequivocally barbaric black/death reminiscent of bands like Pseudogod, Archgoat and Heresiarch.

One of the things that instantly stood out for me about Vicissitude is their usage of abrasive dual vocals and how heavily amplified they are. The amalgamation of hateful snarls with deep, cavernous growls is on full display in every track, giving the music an utterly inhuman feel, coupled with a series of lacerating riffs that often border on black metal. A truly dark atmosphere permeates this recording, largely due to the dense production and evil-sounding guitars that recall bands like Demoncy and Incantation.

From beginning to end, there is no respite from the visceral violence that Vicissitude offers. The eight tracks and forty-eight minutes that encompasses this disc feels complete and satisfying, as each track is comprised of gut-wrenching vocals, pulverizing drums, and stygian riffs. The length may be exhausting for some due to the continuous onslaught; however, I personally enjoyed every second of it. A good visual depiction would be to imagine a clan of ravenous, bloodthirsty cannibals in a cave, feasting on raw human flesh, hungrily ripping the skin and meat from the bones with their crooked teeth. I also believe the band took inspiration from Caveman Cult in the way the themes and aesthetics are presented; however, Vicissitude is stylistically a little different, but still belongs to the same pantheon of bestial metal.

I will not analyze each track in explicit detail, but I will point out that there is enough tempo variation in the songs to prevent the music from being formulaic, as opposed to mindless blasting all the time. I like the slower sections and how the belligerent vocals never let up, even during the more doomy parts. The album gets even better with repeated spins, as the overwhelmingly brutish nature of the music leaves you wanting more. The music definitely manages to evoke a sense of dread in the listener.

In retrospect, “Neolithic Necrocannibals” is a decidedly enjoyable debut album from these Kiwis, offering a satisfying listening experience for any fan of cacophonous and cavernous black/death metal à la Corpse Molestation, Caveman Cult, Antichrist Siege Machine, etc. Vicissitude is a promising prospect from New Zealand that I would like to hear more of in the future. (Jim) 

Album review: Ancient Malignity - Dehumanization Dawn (2024)

 

Ancient Malignity - Dehumanization Dawn

 

USA

 

Inhuman Assault Productions (CD/Cassette/LP)

Reno-based militia Ancient Malignity is one of those exemplary bands that meet every little criteria in order to be labelled “war metal,” mastering the style down to the last detail. The group also features members of black/death acts like Ritual Genocide, Triumph and Blasphemous Creation, all of whom are respectable in their own right. “Dehumanization Dawn” is the trio’s second album since 2020’s self-titled and was released via Thailand's Inhuman Assault Productions.

When you listen to this band and look at their imagery, it’s not too hard to spot the Revenge influence, although I give the band credit for not being a complete carbon-copy and for crafting a style that sets them apart from the legion of Revenge-inspired bands. Aside from the all-too-obvious reference mentioned above, there are also trace elements of bands like Goatpenis and Abhorer, including a good dose of death metal influence running in their veins. This is a winning formula for the band, coupled with a raw production that only adds to the hellish feel of the music. The music is mainly mid-paced, although they do slow it down from time to time, with some gritty grind tempos in between.

Despite the relatively straight-forward nature of the music, the band's themes are decidedly thought-provoking and profound. A good example of this is the track “Indoctrination Terror Offense,” which is about the media terrorizing the populace with propaganda in order to indoctrinate them; and the aptly titled “Pedoswine Obsolescence” is self-explanatory of their stance regarding dicier transgressions.

The military-style drumming is on point and offers a variety of inventive fills and tempo changes, while the morbid vocals are venomously spewed over a series of slashing guitars and repulsive bass riffs. Despite all the instruments being comprehensible, there's a certain rawness to their sound that is all-too-fitting for this style, and honestly, I do not think an overly polished production would have had the same effect and taken away many of its qualities. This album succeeds in conveying an atmosphere of hate and blasphemy, and the more I listen to it, the more I like it, including the fact that the length of this release feels complete and satisfying at 36 minutes.

I recommend all maniacs who are into underground and blasphemous, bestial black/death to check this band out, as it has everything that you could possibly look for in this style. Stand-out tracks: “Indoctrination Terror Offense”, “Abomination Experiment, “Algorithmic Brainwash Entity” (Jim)

EP review: Eskhaton - Horracle (2022)

Eskhaton - Horracle

 

Australia

 

Hells Headbangers

 

“Horracle” is a mini-album by Australian death metal juggernauts, Eskhaton, which was released in 2022 via Hells Headbangers. It contains five tracks of some of the most punishing shit you’ll ever hear. This is the band’s fifth release, and they have not lowered the intensity or quality. This consistency cements them as one of the best extreme metal acts from down under.
 
Eskhaton plays death metal, and it is some of the heaviest and most chaotic the genre has to offer. Of course, there is also a hint of black metal with the nightmarish atmosphere that the dissonant guitars evoke. They share a number of similarities with countrymen Impetuous Ritual and Portal in terms of the all-out chaos, though they have enough unique traits in their arsenal to set them apart. Simply put, they sound like a cross between Dead Congregation and Impetuous Ritual. A thick dissonance encompasses the songs along with an abundance of frenzied leads and riffs to compliment the carnage.
 
"Horracle" consists of only five tracks totaling 29 minutes; however, while this short run time would normally be a deficit, it is actually one of the album’s strengths due to how straight-forward it is – no interludes, just pure mayhem and violence. Additionally, the band displays a level of craftsmanship that is above average and verges on technical, while still retaining a barbaric element. In fact, listening to the riffs on this record, their complexity only serves to accentuate the overall insanity that the music seeks to convey – truly order within chaos. To the average newcomer, this is “noise,” but for those with an appreciation for this style of metal, it shows forth unparalleled genius.
 
The roaring vocals and surging lava riffs on “Omnicidol” open the record hellishly, making your head spin before “Khaossuary” picks up the aural bazooka, and blasts everything in its path with unyielding ferocity. There is no letting up once this disc starts; this powerhouse of a release will pound you mercilessly with murderous execution. Clocking in at over eight minutes, “Nethereal,” the closing track, is the lengthiest track; it devastatingly drives this release to a violent end.
 
Horracle’s five tracks feel complete, and I definitely recommend this album to fans of bands like Blasphemy, Portal, Heresiarch, Impetuous Ritual, etc. I strongly urge the reader to check out their other albums, as this is not even their best release. Regardless, this is an excellent album through and through, and one of the highlights from 2022. (Jim)